All information about the recruitment and appointment of professors at Radboud University.
Recruitment
Radboud University sets high standards for the quality of its research and education, which calls for an open and comprehensive recruitment approach on both a national and international level. For this reason, an open recruitment procedure applies to both new and newly vacant teaching and research remits to be filled by full professors and professors by special appointment. If
this is not possible (e.g. in the context of career development), a substantiated request for closed recruitment can be submitted to the Executive Board. An internal candidate may also be appointed as a full professor on the basis of previously made agreements or achieved goals (e.g. in the context of career development and/or performing at the level of a full professor), in accordance with the relevant job requirements.
For teaching and research remits becoming vacant (e.g. due to retirement or the departure of a professor to another university), the dean will determine if the vacancy should again be filled at professorial level when it becomes available.
Appointment procedure
The Executive Board is tasked with appointing both full professors and professors by special appointment. The Appointment Advisory Committee is responsible for recruiting and selecting candidates and determining a candidate's professorial eligibility.
Method
The dean submits a request to the Executive Board for establishing a teaching and research remit. The dean also provides an overview of the teaching and research remit, a description of the key recruitment and selection criteria, and a proposal for the composition of the Appointment Advisory Committee. This committee must include the following:
- one professor from another faculty (ideally from another university)
- one student representative
- two academic staff members, at least one of whom must be a professor and at least one of whom must have sufficient substantive expertise in the field of the vacancy
- at least two of the academic staff members must be women and at least two must be men, at least one of each must be qualified at the vacancy level
- one adviser to supervise the procedure and monitor progress (e.g. the dean or the head of HR).
After approval of the Executive Board, the dean will appoint the Appointment Advisory Committee. Based on the report and the advice of the Appointment Advisory Committee, the dean will submit a nominee to the Executive Board. Following this nomination, an interview will be held between the candidate and the Executive Board. After this interview, the dean will submit the nomination to the Faculty Joint Assembly, with the approval of the Executive Board.
The Faculty Joint Assembly will be given the opportunity to ask questions and present any serious objections to the proposed appointment. The dean may also submit these questions in writing to the Faculty Joint Assembly if he or she deems it necessary for the appointment process.
The following documents must be made available confidentially before the hearing:
- the teaching and research remit profile
- the candidate’s CV
- a summary of the appointment process and the appointment advice from the appointment advisory report
The sister faculties will also be consulted, after which, the final nomination will be submitted to the Executive Board.
Extension
Before a fixed-term appointment can extended (for both full professors and professors by special appointment), the work of the professor in question must be evaluated. This evaluation must include a self-evaluation by the relevant professor and an evaluation by the dean of the
achieved objectives. The dean will ensure that this evaluation is carried out well before the current appointment ends.
Other changes
A substantial change in working hours (> 0.2 FTE) must be approved in writing by the dean and the Executive Board.
Changes to the title of the teaching and research remit must be communicated to the Executive Board.
Full professor 2 and 1
Upon appointment, the Executive Board will determine which profile level applies (full professor 1 or 2). The Executive Board is also responsible for promoting professors from level 2 to level 1.
The university job classification system (UFO, as adopted by the VSNU) formulates several criteria for the positions of professor 1 and 2, which may be further refined by the faculties. The Executive Board determines whether a level 2 professor can be promoted to level 1, based on the recommendations by the dean. For the purposes of due diligence, the dean must seek the advice of a faculty advisory committee that includes the faculty HR advisor and at least two level 1 professors. Involving a director of education or director of research is also recommended. This committee must also have a balanced male-female ratio.
Gender ratio
To ensure gender diversity and minimise implicit bias, extra attention is paid during the recruitment and appointment process to the following:
• raising awareness of the vacancy among female candidates
• the composition of the Advisory Appointment Committee
• a balanced male-female ratio of candidates versus a male-female ratio of respondents
Ius promovendi
Both full professors and professors by special appointment have the right to supervise PhD candidates (ius promovendi). Since 2017, associate professors also have the right to supervise PhD candidates in accordance with a separate procedure described in the Radboud University Doctorate Regulations. Professors will retain their ius promovendi rights for up to five years after retiring or being honourably discharged to ensure that PhD tracks can be completed as planned. Starting a new PhD track is not permitted during this five-year period.
Professors by special appointment will also retain their ius promovendi status for up to five years after reaching pension age.
This five-year term does not apply to professors who have reached retirement age when they enter into an employment contract with the university. This period only starts when the professor actually retires.
Rules governing secondary activities
Secondary activities are all paid or unpaid activities that a professor performs alongside his or her professorship. For transparency purposes, all secondary activities must be registered. Full professors and professors by special appointment are responsible for the correct and up-to-date registration of all secondary activities on their personal and public profile page on the Radboud University website. This is in accordance with the Sectoral Regulation for Secondary Activities.
All professors will be asked to check and update their secondary activities annually. These activities will also be discussed during the annual appraisal interview or a different evaluation meeting.
Secondary activities assessment
When appointing a professor, the dean will check the secondary activities to determine whether there are any conflicts of interest. For professors by special appointment, the main position is regarded as a secondary activity from the perspective of Radboud University.
When a professor is nominated by the Executive Board, the dean will include a statement confirming that there is no conflict of interest and, if necessary, that agreements have been made to minimise any risk as much as possible. For professors with a special appointment, the dean will also report any secondary activities in addition to the main professorial duties.